Police, fire briefs

March 24, 2009

Man faces 21 charges in vehicle tamperings and larcenies

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - A 31-year-old man has been arraigned on 21 misdemeanor charges in connection with several vehicle tamperings and larcenies in Crest Field, Summer Field and Pike View subdivisions in January, according to Berkeley County Magistrate Court records.

Joshua Lee Jackson of Martinsburg was charged with seven counts each of vehicle tampering, petit larceny and conspiracy, according to a complaint filed by the Berkeley County Sheriff's Department.

The incidents happened between Jan. 27 and 28, according to the complaint filed by Deputy Sgt. D.L. Steerman.

The complaint listed 13 victims, including some vehicle owners who reported their cars were entered but nothing was reported stolen, according to the complaint.

Others reported cash, cigarettes, gift cards and other small items were taken from the vehicles, according to the complaint.

Steerman said Jackson and a co-defendant in the case appeared to have tampered with and entered "well over" 50 vehicles, and many of the incidents were not reported.

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Due to manpower shortages, follow-up and investigation of the incidents was impossible, Steerman said in his complaint.

Tinted windows lead to arrest

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - A 27-year-old man was in Eastern Regional Jail Tuesday night on multiple charges after police noticed he was driving a car with windows tinted darker than state law allows, according to court and jail records.

Police said Keeney turned in to the parking lot of Marlowe (W.Va.) Elementary School Friday afternoon and began driving around the school erratically, attempting to evade West Virginia State Police Trooper W.M. Roden, who had activated his cruiser lights to conduct a traffic stop because of the tinting, according to court records.

Several children were in the parking lot getting ready to board school buses, Roden said in his complaint.

After following the black Chevrolet Cavalier Keeney was driving to a rear parking lot, the driver got out of the car and began running through the school yard, Roden said.

The trooper said in his complaint that he followed the driver into a group of mobile homes off Broad Lane and was able to find him hiding behind one of the homes, thanks to the assistance of residents in the neighborhood.

Roden said in his complaint that the driver began running again when he approached, but finally gave up in a brushy area behind the mobile home neighborhood.